he and my father's younger brother booked passage, leaving hamburg on 13 may 1939, 75 years ago today. he thought that they would land in cuba, establish a beach head in the western hemisphere and send for the rest of the family. power plays in the cuban government made it impossible for more than a handful of refugees to land in havana. it weighed anchor, sailed north to the coast of the united states where it plied the waters off the coast of florida, imploring the u.s. state department for permission to land in the united states. it was denied. permission was denied the right to land in canada. it sailed back across the atlantic, a deal was brokered whereby the 900 refugees could disembark in england, france, belgium and holland. my grandfather and uncle got off the boat in france. it began a stretch of three years where they were sent from one camp to another before being september to the death camp. >> the politics in cuba, united states, canada - not letting them come in - the stories are horrible how they were in havana harbour and relatives could go out in row boats and wave.